Always Gold
by Silver Ecstasy
Summary: Link's best friend, Vaati, is at the hospital and doesn't have much time left. Link will do anything to ease his last moments and make him happy, but when Vaati has a strange request, will Link accept? And will he even come to terms with something he had been too blind to see? Follow the story of two friends who have nothing left to lose but each other. Link x Vaati.
1. Chapter 1

My sleep was interrupted by the sound of my _annoying_ alarm clock. I lazily reached out to put it off, holding back a yawn. I then blinked a few times, sitting up and smoothing my hair distractedly. I thought for a few minutes, trying to focus on what I was supposed to do today. It was Saturday... Of course. Today, I would be heading for the hospital to visit my friend, Vaati. I bit my lip and closed my eyes once again. Vaati wasn't a childhood friend, but he had managed to slowly make his way into my life and feel just like one. It had only been three years since we had met each other, but it felt like I've known him forever. One can only imagine my reaction when I heard from him that he had cancer. They had been too slow in detecting it, so it was too late to really do anything about it. I slid a hand across my face, sighing heavily. He didn't deserve to suffer from cancer, of all people... He had always looked out for the people he held close, and never once had I seen him get mad or act on selfish purposes. Letting my hand drop on my bed, I swung my legs out of my bed and started to pick the clothes that I would wear. I opted for a simple black V-neck and washed-out denim jeans, pulled on some dark green socks and headed to the kitchen to have some breakfast. I poured some oatmeal and milk into a bowl, grabbed a spoon and went to sit on the couch in front of the TV to watch the news. My apartment wasn't so big, but it was handy (due to being in the middle of the city) and pretty comfy, for one person. I was still studying and had to sign up for part time jobs to be able to pay for my living expenses, but ever since Vaati was taken to the hospital I resigned and asked for my aunt to help me with a little money. She had agreed, knowing that it would only be for the time that Vaati was... still alive. I cringed at the thought and lost my appetite, but I decided to finish it anyway, not willing to waste food.  
Once I was done with that, I brought the bowl and spoon back to the kitchen and washed them, thinking about what I could do to cheer Vaati up today. It was weird though, because he usually was the one to cheer me up when I got there. He was always smiling and laughing, never once had he complained about his condition or cried. I wasn't sure if it was because he was in denial, or was just extremely strong, or maybe he just broke down when there wasn't anyone around to see him... It was very much like him to think like that, hiding his feelings and pain away just so the others could happily not worry about him. I however, no matter how strong he showed to be, was worried, in a selfish way. What would I do once he was gone? I'd have a hard time finding a friend like him again. We did everything together. We went everywhere together. Hell, he was even the best wingman around. He always supported me, no matter how crazy my ideas were. Together we had infiltrated a private party and made ourselves pass for famous DJs... biggest hangover _ever_. I've also had quite a few heartbreaks, but Vaati's always had my back in those situations. He's come over and hold me company until I fell asleep, he'd take me out at night to make me forget, and even did a lot of silly things such as jumping on a table in a restaurant and screaming that he'd seen a dinosaur to cheer me up. I chuckled at the thought. How did he get those stupid ideas? I would never know.  
Deciding that I'd been idling around for long enough, I put on a pair of black sneakers on and my grey coat on and headed out. The hospital was only at a fifteen minutes walk from home, so I didn't bother to ride my motorbike there. I was looking forward to see him again, it had been since last Sunday that I hadn't been able to visit him due to the exhausting course I was following. I passed the check-in at the entrance quickly, they knew me well since two months ago when Vaati had been taken in. An old nurse that saw me cry when I was exiting the facility even offered me a cup of warm cocoa. I was embarrassed to be treated like a kid, but due to my desperate need of kindness I had accepted the offer with lots of unappealing tears and snot running down my face. It must've been an ugly sight. I would've wanted to be stronger for him. I sighed as I walked up the stairs. In the end, even afflicted by cancer, he'd proven to be the strongest.  
How I hated the smell of hospitals. The long and cold white corridor seemed to extend forever, and once I reached Vaati's room I hurried inside. His dad had paid for him to have a room of his own luckily, so he didn't have to deal with having other people with him. It was for the best I thought, the last thing I wanted was for him to be stuck with sickly and weak depressed people in suffering. When I came in he looked up from his book to smile at me, and I smiled too. I watched as he closed his book and put it on his nightstand. Had his hands always been that frail? I looked him over. His hair was as long as ever, a soft purple tone (he had it dyed first on his eighteenth birthday), and his skin was so pale and cold-looking that he almost seemed to be purple. He was born an albino, meaning that his natural hair colour was snow white, and his eyes an unsettling red. I've always been fond of his eyes, because they obviously are so unusual. He joked about it a lot, since he often caught me staring for minutes full. "Hey Link," his quiet voice broke the silence. I came to sit on his bed. "What's up Vaat. Food as gross as ever?" he stuck his tongue out with a disgusted expression. "It's so delicious. I bet they don't eat that well in heaven." I smiled, but flinched. "Yeah. Ew. So what were you reading anyway?" He cast a glance aside to the book. "Just some stupid novel my mom brought... It's pretty corny so far, but I get so bored..." I laughed. "Yeah, for you to read you must be pretty damn bored alright," He smiled and gave my shoulder a small slap. "You know Link, I wish I could go outside. If I'm going to die I want to at least get to enjoy my last moments." I whipped my head to stare at him wide-eyed at such a blunt statement. It hadn't sounded like him at all, but it was his usual happy-go-lucky smile on his lips that convinced me that what he had said had come from his heart. He really wished to be able to get out of that pasty white prison. "I'll try to convince them, Vaat. I would like it too, if you could come out." I said more quietly than I had planned too, mentally punching myself or sounding so weak. He turned his head to the window and yawned, stretching his arms and back. "You shouldn't just try, you should succeed," he said, casting me a defying glance. I smirked. "Don't get all spirited... I think you'll be pretty surprised when I get your ass out of here. Expect to have your mind blown tomorrow." He laughed wholeheartedly at my sincere determination and offered me a warm smile. "You never disappoint me do you," he said, dropping the joke.  
We spent the rest of the morning talking about people we both knew and I told him a bunch of things that had happened in our class, which made him laugh a lot, and I felt pretty good about that. When the time came, a nurse came in and told me that Vaati needed to sleep some, so I straightforward hugged him and left the room, glancing back to catch a sight of his surprised expression. I wasn't much one for hugs and such, but with Vaati it was okay. And for the amount of time I would miss him I knew I would regret not giving him that warmth that he most needed right now.  
As I went down the stairs into the hall, I queued at the reception to ask to meet the director. They made me sit and wait a full hour before telling me that the director would see me in his office. I walked towards his door feeling like a high-school kid getting punished, and pushed the door to enter the office. The director was a middle-aged man with a kind face and greying hair, his eyes were a clear blue behind his simple square glasses. I greeted him and sat when he told me to, feeling nervous and shifty. I wasn't sure where to begin, so I just blurted out the first thing that occurred to me. "Can my friend get out of the hospital?" the director blinked a few, taken aback. "Your friend?" I blushed, slightly embarrassed. "His name is Vaati, he's in room 309." The director nodded in acknowledgement. "Ah, yes, I see. He's the youngster with the terminal-phase cancer isn't he? I am so sorry that measures were no taken sooner to prevent his condition to come to this. As to your request, it may be hard to concede due to his current state. You see, he is already in his last moments. It may not look like it, but he could... _go _at any moment." I tried to bite back my tears, to no avail. The director's eyes softened. "I am so sorry. However, though hard, it is not impossible. I understand how you and he feel, it's a shame that his last moments should be as dull as one of this hospital's rooms, and I agree that he should at least enjoy before leaving us. For him to be able to go out, you should ask permission from his parents." He gave me a sheet of paper. "If his parents sign this, he is free to go out as he pleases. Despite being an adult, his life is in their hands since his judgement might be considered affected in his conditions. If you can get this signed, I'll see to it that you can both go without any more problems. I'll then give you one of the nurses' phone number so that you can always contact us if anything unexpected comes up." He smiled at me and I almost hugged him too, but instead just opted to shake his hands, thank him and leave. It was around one o'clock at the time, so while I was walking back home I took out my phone and dialled Vaati's dad's number. He answered at the third ring, and almost gave me a heart attack. "Hello?" came the voice through the speaker. "Good evening sir, I'm Vaati's friend, Link," I said. "Oh hi Link, how are you?" he sounded pleased to hear from me. "Good, and you?" "I'm alright, just finishing off some boring paperwork here. So how can I help you?" I gulped. "Well the thing is, I was wondering if you would agree to something I asked today at the hospital... I went to see Vaati and it turns out that he's getting bored and..." my voice broke. "and I thought that I'd ask the director if it was possible for him to go out some time, you know, since he..." an unexpected sob cut me off. Why was I crying now of all times?! There was a silence at the other end of the line, and then Vaati's dad spoke again. "Link, you're a good chap. I really appreciate that you're helping so much my son, and I regret not having enough time to tend to him." He sounded pained. "I agree with you, he should be able to get out of that cramped hospital room." A weight was lifted from my chest. "In any other circumstances, I wouldn't have agreed you know, but I have always felt that I can trust you. And if my son's going to go, I want him to go happy." I was so glad that Vaati's dad showed so much understanding and empathy that I almost forgot to reply. "T-then could I take a form for you to sign? I need it to be able to take Vaat out..." "Yes, alright. Could you bring it to my house at nine?" I agreed, said goodbye and hung up.  
It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: If the text turns out to be too compact for you, you can expand it clicking the "T" above and on "Expand". Piece o' cake (And just so you know, to me Link in this fic is Twilight Princess', not Minish Cap's). I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations

_Written while listening to "_All is well (Goodbye, Goodbye)" _by _Radical Face. _If you want to create the ambiance for the text, I strongly recommend you listen to it while reading._

Water dripped along my neck down to my shoulders from my recently washed hair. I hadn't bothered to dry it, too lost in my thoughts to care about the cold air draft running through my apartment. In my hands was the paper that I had taken to Vaat's house earlier for his dad to sign. We had a friendly talk, though I didn't remain for too long, I was tired and just wanted a hot shower. I had already eaten, and was now installed in the couch in the living room, a heavy silence settling over me. I didn't know what to expect for the following day, and my mind was full of questions. Where would I take Vaati for his first outing in two months? What _can _I take him to do? What can't he handle? What if something bad happens to him? I unconsciously tightened my grip on the paper at the displeasing thought. I wouldn't let anything happen to him.  
The sound of tyres screeching on the road in the distance made me snap out of my daydreaming. It was half past ten, and I needed to be up early the next day, so I got up from my seat, went to brush my teeth and headed to bed.  
I had a dreamless night, and woke up at 8 AM the following day, once again brutally disturbed by my ugly alarm clock. I rose from my bed and got dressed without really looking at what I was grabbing, I was in too much of a hurry to really care anyway. I felt slightly dizzy, you know, that feeling you get when you're about to do something not so big but decisive, like getting a tattoo or bungee jumping, except that in my case it was getting my best friend out of a place he hated. I repressed a small smile and exited my apartment humming gleefully, the signed paper in hand. I locked my door and pocketed the key before speed walking down the building's stairs and into the street. It was a cold but sunny day, and everything seemed a tone brighter. I got to the hospital after the fifteen minutes walk, and asked once again to see the director. I wasn't made to wait as long as the previous day, which was good because I was really not in the mood for sitting at the moment. When I entered his office I showed him the paper with a goofy smile I was in too good a mood to wipe off my face. He then smiled too, signed it himself and filed it. He told me that I could go up to see Vaati while he told the nurses to prepare him to come with me. I thanked him and raced up to Vaat's room, and I even startled him when I burst into the room. He looked at me wide-eyed. "Jeez, Link, are you trying to kill me from a heart attack?!" he said, a hand plastered on his chest. I grinned and put my hands on my hips, assuming a victorious stance. "Guess who's getting you outta here today!" His eyes widened even more if that could be considered possible. "No. Way." A wide smile stretched his lips too, and no words could describe the happiness that could be seen in those ruby eyes of his. "Yes way! I told you. I yo' face!" We both laughed, too happy to mind if the nurses that came in thought that we were crazy. The sun was blinding, and so was Vaati's smile. I was as happy as could be on that day. Then, a nurse gently took me by the arm to lead me out of the room while the others got Vaati in civilian clothes. I wondered if she wanted to speak to me, since I wasn't bothered the slightest by Vaati changing in front of me. It sure wouldn't be a first. "Link, is it?" I nodded. "You should be warned: he's going to be weak, too weak to even move on his own. He's going to be tired and in pain, and he'll lose his appetite. He already has. No matter what, you mustn't blame yourself, it isn't your fault. Alright?" I nodded again, my mood tarnished. Vaati was going to stop eating? Wouldn't that worsen his condition? The nurse didn't leave me the time to really say anything before leading me back into the room, where they were now sitting Vaati in a wheelchair.

A wheelchair.

My heart sunk at the sight. Vaati, my best friend, the adventurous, daring, risk breaking, unstoppable, the one who always found silly ways to cheer me up, was sitting frailly in a wheelchair. I felt my lower lip tremble slightly, and immediately tried to snap out of it. I had to be strong. He needed me to.  
I took a deep breath and smiled as he looked up. "Are we all set?" He nodded with a small, confident smile. I went to stand behind the wheelchair as the nurses stepped aside. I grabbed the chair's handles and gave the first push, leading my friend out of his prison. We took the elevator down to the hall, and I noticed Vaati looked around like it was a whole new world. I smiled inwardly.  
We left the hospital, and I had butterflies in my stomach, forgetting all about the nurse's grim warning. Nothing could bring me down from my little cloud. "Are you ready?" I said with a grin. Vaati turned to cast me a curious glance, intrigued, and when his gaze met mine, he understood. "Hell yes."  
I started to run, pushing the wheelchair before me with a wild scream as Vaati's laugh filled my ears. I didn't even care about the weird looks we got from the people around, and I didn't expect anything different anyway, I mean, a bloke running around pushing a violet haired man in a wheelchair is not something you see every day. I ran and ran, until we got to my building's door, where I had to let go of Vaat's chair and catch my breath, my hands on my knees. I was all sweaty and hot now, my cheeks burning from the temperature difference with the freezing air. Vaati chuckled. "It's good to feel the biting wind again." I glanced at him. His eyes seemed almost hazy, he looked melancholic somehow. I smiled more sadly than I would like to, but soon my expression turned to a horrified one. Vaati raised his eyebrows at me. "What's wrong?" he asked, sounding worried. Il straightened myself up. "How am I going to get you to my floor?!" I said, raising my hands to my head, wide-eyed. Vaati stared at me for a few seconds, and then laughed again. "Jeez Link, you have the stupidest worries," he said in a teasing tone. He then shook his head and spoke in a more serious tone. "You could carry me and then come back to get the wheelchair. That's the only way I can think of, you know, if it wasn't I wouldn't risk my life being carried by you..." I scowled playfully. "Hey! That's not fair. I deserve more respect!" I said, dramatically throwing my arms in the air. He shook his head with a smile, and I pushed the wheelchair into the building's first floor, just in front of the stairs. I then carefully passed an arm behind Vaat's back and under his knees while he clung onto my vest. I raised him up, painfully taking notice of how light he was, and started climbing the stairs. We made it without any issues, and I did my best to open the door without letting go off of him. Once inside, I laid him on the couch and wrapped him in a blanket despite his complaints, and then went down the stairs for the wheelchair. It was a bit trickier to get up the narrow staircase, even folded, but I ended up making it anyway a minute later. I left the chair behind the door and locked it behind me. "That took you long enough," said Vaati with false accusation ringing in his voice. I looked at him, all curled up in the blanket like a caterpillar in its cocoon and snickered. "I'm surprised you didn't become a butterfly in the meantime," I said, laughing slightly. He grinned too at my joke and retorted right away. "Well, you know, butterflies need _nice _environment to be able to develop." I went to sit beside him and flicked his bangs from his face. "Heh, I'll throw you out the window."  
The evening was spent peacefully after I called Vaati's dad to tell him that he was with me. We played some video games, and I beat him several times before he was able to get his revenge. An evening with us included a lot of violent cursing and taunting, as well as a few nudges and cursing one another's hypothetical mothers. It was all in good spirits, and to finally see some colour on Vaat's face really cheered me up. Later in the night I cooked us some dinner and he ate a little, which relieved me to no avail. I then helped him to my bathroom so that we could both brush our teeth, and when I asked him if he wanted to shower he told me that he was too tired for now, so I led him back to the living room's couch while I showered. When I came back into the living room, he was sound asleep.  
I stared for a minute before understanding the situation. Vaat had fallen asleep while I was showering. I almost facepalmed, noticing that it was already ten o'clock. It must've been a really tiring day for him since until then he'd been confined in a hospital room barely even standing in the day. I stepped closer and took him in my arms again, carrying him to my room. I slid him under my bed's covers and turned to left, but when I did so, something unexpected happened.  
He grabbed my wrist and asked me to stay. Turning again, I could see that he was still sleeping, but somehow had felt my presence I guess, and obviously didn't want me to leave. I understood how he could want company, after being left alone to suffer on his own for so long. And so, I joined him under the covers comfortably and closed my eyes to sleep, thinking that having someone warm your bed wasn't a bad feeling at all.


	3. Chapter 3

When I woke up on that morning it wasn't due to the sound of my alarm. I sat straight up, wondering what had happened and was quick to realise I had forgotten to put it back on the previous night. I ran my fingers through my hair lazily, glancing aside to catch sight of a still soundly asleep Vaati. There was no way I'd leave him on his own, so when I called his father and he asked me if he should pick him up and bring him back to the hospital so that I could go to the university, I fervently rejected his offer. I wouldn't be sending him back there anytime soon, especially knowing that it'd make him unhappy. I told his dad that I'd skip classes for a few, wanting to spend all that was left of Vaat's time with him. I wasn't a bad student anyway; in fact, I found it quite easy to work on my own and would catch up to the others in no time. I later agreed with Vaati's dad that he'd come pick him up on Wednesday when he'd take the day off to be with his son. He was the head of a very influential company, which made it near impossible for him to take much more than a day off, no matter how much it pained him.

Next to me, Vaati shifted, pulling me out of my daydreaming. He had a pained expression on his face, and when I reached to touch his face I was shocked by how cold he was. I covered him with some more blankets and prepared some tea for when he'd wake up. I was still in the kitchen when I heard him cough, and I immediately rushed to my room to see what was happening. Vaati was sitting, hunched over his legs, and was coughing violently, a hand in front of his mouth and the other clenched onto his chest. I felt like my heart wanted to beat right out of my chest, and I could suddenly hear my own blood running. I sat besides him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.  
When the coughing finally stopped, he turned his head towards me, and I caught a flash of fear in his ruby eyes.  
Vaati was _scared_.

I felt like the bed underneath me had just vanished and all I would do was fall into the empty.  
I was suddenly lightheaded faced to the gravity of the situation, but I didn't let go off of Vaati. I held him closer and tighter. When he was completely propped up against me, he relaxed and his breathing slowed and became even again. I was slightly relieved, but it was insignificant compared to the anxiety that had settled deep within. "Link," he said quietly, sounding extremely calm. "I can't stand anymore." I held my breath for a few seconds; feeling like an entire building had crashed on me. "It's okay." I whispered, trying a smile even though he could not see me. "I'm here to help you. Just tell me what you need." He nodded slightly, but remained silent for a while. I didn't bother to move or leave him alone, keeping my arms around his thin frame in an attempt to share my warmth with him. He then decided to break the silence. "I'd like a shower… you can just drop me in there, I'll sort the rest out myself." I shook my head, not pleased by the idea of letting him out of my sight. "Okay… but just, don't close the door, alright?" I could guess he rolled his eyes. "Yes, mom!" I smiled and carried him to the shower. "You sure you can undress by yourself?" He gave me a teasing look, like the old times. "You want a piece of this, huh? Well you can't! Now shoo, I need some alone time." I raised my hands to the air and walked out of the bathroom, leaving the door cracked open behind me. I remained close by the entire time, paying attention to the sounds I heard. I would seriously flip out if something happened to him, and I couldn't refrain myself from pacing around until I heard him call. I stepped in again, looking around quickly to see if anything was off. It seemed ha had done a good job, because he was wrapped in one of the cupboard's towels, barely even standing with the help of the sink. I quickly reaped him off the ground into my arms again. "Are you crazy? I thought you said you couldn't stand!" He shrugged. "Maybe I am crazy. Now lend me some of your clothes, I'm freezing here." I shook my head and carried him to my bedroom, picking out my warmest clothes for him to wear before being shoo'd out again. This time I wasn't so nervous, because we talked about some random things while he dressed and I stood leaning against the door. Once he was done, I came back in again and sat at the end of the bed, in front of him. "What do you feel like doing?" He looked down, tarnished. "There is not much I _can _do now. I'm sorry… I though that if I came out of the hospital we would be able to do stuff together, like we used to… but I'm useless. You know, maybe it would be better if I went back to the ho-" I cut him off by putting both my hands on his shoulders. "Don't you even think it. You are my best friend. Do you think I like the idea of you locked up alone in that room? I don't so drop it." He gave me a surprised look, and then smiled gently. "I'd have done the same for you." I smiled and ruffled his hair. "I know."

I knew for a fact that if our positions were reversed, the first place I'd want to be at would be Vaati's side. He would have cheered me up, and his constant presence by my side made him the most important person in my life at the moment. A person I was going to lose. A pang of pain shot through my heart, but it didn't let it show. I had to find a way to distract him somehow. "Hey… You remember that time when we were dead drunk, you grabbed my computer and put on a movie?" He squinted his eyes, trying to recall. I didn't leave him any time to answer. "I've still got it." The look on his face as he realised, wide-eyed, what I was talking about, was absolutely priceless. "You have to be kidding me…" I started laughing as I left the room to fetch the DVD and my computer. When I came back in he was shaking his head slowly. "Oh my God… Today is the day we die…" I chuckled and dropped down besides him, waving the box in front of his eyes. "Here, chosen by the Grand Vaati Himself… 'Desire for Velocity'!" We couldn't help but laugh again, as the title alone was ridiculous and absurd. It obviously was a Need for Speed rip off, with really bad acting and casting, shitty special effects and horrendous filming skills. We watched it to the end, laughing all along. I couldn't have been serious watching that even if my life had been on the line. During the film we shifted into a more comfortable position, and Vaati ended up propped up against me once again, the soft sugary smell his hair gave off surrounding me. As the credits rolled, I took notice of him congratulating random names in the crew, and chuckled. "I wonder if you'd have done a better job though…" He scoffed over zealously. "Of course I would have! I am the next Steven Spielberg." I hummed. "Well I am the next Queen of England." He nodded, turning his head slightly to the side. "Why yes, her dresses would suit you nicely indeed." He sneered. "You're just jealous," I said with pretend sass. His head dropped. "You got me."

The rest of the day was pretty calm, we had some soup at midday and Vaati emptied half his bowl, I carried him to the living room so that we could play some games and later in the evening I settled him for a nap. He was restless though, and it wasn't long before he called me back in the bedroom.

"Hey, Link, I don't mean to be a bitch but… could you just, lie with me? I-I'm sorry, I'm just freezing." I shrugged. "Yeah no problem, don't sweat it." I took off my shoes and joined him under the covers, relishing into the cosy though cold feeling. Vaat scooted over until he was all pressed against me, his body cold and shivering. "Link… is it, uh… weird? I mean, to be like this…" I gaped for a second, scrutinising his face. "What do you mean?" He glanced to the side. "That two guys should be in bed all pressed up against one another like this. Don't you feel awkward?" I smiled. "I would've, normally. But you're my best bud. And also, on the verge of freezing to death." We both laughed softly, though I was busier thinking about what he had just said. I didn't feel uncomfortable at all by his side; I was rather pleased in fact. I couldn't have explained why if someone had asked me, maybe I just missed human contact after living alone for so long? The last time I had had someone living with me had been over a year ago, with my last girlfriend Zelda. Things had ended rather badly, but Vaati had been there for me when I broke down. That made me cuddle him up even more, though the word "cuddle" alone was enough to bring a blush upon my cheeks.  
Soon we were both dozing off peacefully, unaware that Tuesday was going to be rough on the both of us.


	4. Chapter 4

When I opened my eyes, it was to see Vaati's staring at me, and I blinked a few times, slightly amused but confused. "You're creepy," I managed out, my voice hoarse from having just woken up. He smiled. "You talk in your sleep." I grunted something vague in response, I can't recall what, and sat up scratching my eyes. It was Tuesday. "Whaddya wanna eat this mornin'?" I asked, yawning and stretching my back. He remained silent for a while, and then shrugged slightly, still lying on his side. "I dunno, whatever you feel like making." I smiled and got up, walking to the kitchen. "You're too trusting."

When I came back in the bedroom with a few toasts, he was lying on his back. I gave him the plate and sat by his side, snatching bits of food here and there. When he had managed to eat one full toast, he looked down at the plate thoughtfully. "Hey, how'd you feel about taking me to the park today? A change of set would do me good I think." I narrowed my eyes. "You don't like my place? Why don't you just go live on the street then?" He chuckled and I took the plate from him, standing up once again. "If you feel like you can handle it, I'll take you there," I said. "It looks like it won't be all that cold today." He nodded and I went to wash the plate after finishing what was left of the breakfast. Afterwards, I put some more jackets on Vaati despite his complaints, and carried him to the living room where the wheelchair still was. "You really feel like you can do this?" I asked, seriously concerned. He dismissed my worries by waving his hand in the air. "Of course, otherwise I wouldn't have asked." I pouted and gave in, sitting him on the couch. After standing there thinking for a few seconds, I decided to wrap one more blanket around his legs. He gave up on complaining, understanding that I had the upper hand anyway, and that there was no way I wouldn't take all the possible measures I could think of. "I'll get the chair downstairs, stay put." He rolled his eyes. "No, I think I might fly out of the room maybe," I chuckled at his antics and grabbed the wheelchair, carrying it all the way downstairs. When I came back up to get Vaati, I caught him staring out the window with a serene expression on his face. It really surprised me, seeing how calm and at peace he looked on that precise moment, his hands intertwined on his lap and his neck slightly craned to the side, the morning light making his pale skin gleam. He just overall gave off a feeling of complete harmony. I almost felt bad for disturbing it. "Ready to go?" I asked, my voice sounding far quieter than I intended. He turned his head to me and I could see the usual spark in his eyes light back up, resituating me my best friend. I knew that was my signal, so I just lifted him and carried him down to his chair after locking my door behind us. I was glad to have wrapped him up nicely, because the morning air was still biting despite the sun being out.

I started walking, pushing slowly the chair before me, making my way towards the park. We kept silent for most of the way there, I sometimes broke the silence to ask him if he was cold or wanted anything. I knew it was better that way; Vaati didn't seem to be in the mood for talking anyway. Whatever was going on in his head on that day must have been important because I had never seen him so calm and lost in his thoughts. I didn't know how to feel about it, in one hand I felt left out of it all, and the thing I wanted most was for him to just share the weight on his shoulders with me, but I also knew that in his place I wouldn't have wanted to burden anyone else with whatever thoughts would be racing through my head, much less my best friend of all people.

When we finally got to the park, I wasn't surprised to see it was almost deserted. The only exceptions were two or three lonely walkers that were faded in the distance due to the still persistent morning mist.

I heard Vaati's regular breathing deepen and I glanced down to him to see the back of his head, still pushing the chair but slower as we passed by a large pond inhabited by some ducks and fish. "Let's sit over there," he said, looking straight to a bench near the end of the pond. I pushed the chair to the end of the bench and sat, so that we were next to each other. "Look we're just like old people," Vaati said with a slight smile on the side, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. I smiled too and shook my head, not surprised one bit by his comment. "I don't feel like an old man though, and you don't look like one must I say." I said, curious about how he'd respond to that. He didn't. Instead, he craned his neck slightly and rested his head on my shoulder. I didn't comment on it, though this moment of weakness from his part nearly brought me to tears. It was unexpected and out of the blue in my defence, how should I have known that he was going to demonstrate such trust from one moment to another? I knew that by feeling that he could lean on me he understood that he wasn't alone at all, and I believe that is what he most needed these days.

We sat there for a while until the sun was high up in the sky, striking conversation from time to time, and just sitting silently in between. And then I decided I couldn't just sit there anymore, and exposed Vaati the simple plan I just had come up with. "How about I take you somewhere to eat?" He simply nodded with a faint smile. "Sounds good. I feel like I could eat something." I was really glad to hear him say that, and so we were off to find an open restaurant. I knew a few around town, but I just took advantage of the situation to roam along Vaati's side. Or more like behind his chair. We finally settled for a pub restaurant, because the establishment's dim and calm atmosphere is what most appealed to us on this Tuesday. I, with the help of a waiter, removed a chair from a table in order to fit the wheelchair in its stead and sat in front of my best friend. The same waiter who helped me brought us the menu and some bread in a basket. Just as we both glanced over the menus he each gave us, the sky clouded over and it started pouring. Something in the mood shifted and I couldn't really tell if it was good or bad, but it gave me a sense of finality. _Something _had just ended, and not knowing what made me feel that empty sensation that you get when you don't know what to expect – I felt lost. My eyes travelled up to see Vaati's mellow expression as he read the menu nonchalantly. That man would be gone soon. Yet he was real, in front of me, breathing, thinking, _living_. I felt a knot form in my throat and suddenly I didn't feel like eating that much, but I'd have to conceal my sadness. It took me some time to realise Vaati was calling out to me. "Link, are you still on this planet?..." I blinked a few times. "Sorry, I was uh… thinking." He smiled. "You know what you want yet?" I just quickly glanced down. "Yeah, 'course." I had no idea what to order and hadn't given it any thought, but I knew that I wouldn't eat much of whatever I'd order anyway. He turned around and called the waiter back and waited until I placed my order to place his. I went for pasta, and he ordered some kind of soup. When the waiter was gone, I looked out the window at how the people ran in random direction searching for shelter. And then I saw _that person. _"Uh-oh." It escaped past my lips, and I didn't realise it until Vaat's voice reached me. "What's wrong?" I glanced nervously at him. "It's… It's Zelda. She's coming this way." His eyes widened slightly and he straightened imperceptibly in his chair, his hands clutching the arms. He had been there for me when she had dumped me as I said before, but I probably haven't mentioned just how much it had destroyed me. She had been the only girl I really loved, and she never even gave as much as a reason to why she coldheartedly dumped me by text message. I never really got closure on the matter, but forgot it with the time passing by and Vaati's help, but seeing her again just had a violent whiplash effect right in my face. I must've looked really alarmed because Vaati quickly grabbed my hand and squeezed it, his gaze firmly planted into mine. "Don't worry about her." He was as quick to lean back, not realising that his simple action had given me quite a little relief. The door opened and a dripping wet Zelda came in, her hair sticking to her face and neck. "Oh please don't come this way…" I'd muttered it low enough so it only reached Vaati's ears, who glanced slightly to the side, in the unwelcome newcomer's direction. My prayers were not answered as she spotted us and came our way smiling widely. A smile that hurt me a lot. Our breakup didn't mean anything to her I guess, as she was able to just walk up to me like it was nothing… My head dropped slightly, and I heard Vaati start drumming nervously on the table with his fingers. "Hey guys!" sounded the undesired voice. I sighed. But before I could even make a sound, Vaati replied. "What do you think you're doing?" He sounded so calm I actually looked up to him, and the sight kind of froze me. I believe I have mentioned before that Vaat doesn't get pissed off, ever. Well, ladies and gents, there he was, looking like he was about to kill someone, right before my incredulous eyes. To an outsider it might've looked like he was calmer than a baby panda, but I knew him well, and that is not what he looked like when he was calm. Zelda stared at him for a bit. "What do you mean?" Vaati sighed and rested his intertwined hands on the table. "I mean exactly what I said. What do you think you're doing? Are you the slightest bit conscious of the consequences of your acts?" she frowned, obviously not liking to be treated like a fuming pile of cow dung by my best friend. "I do what _normal_ people do when they see someone they know. _Greet them._" Her tone seemed to piss Vaati off even further, because he breathed deeply before giving his answer. "_Normal people_? Really, Zelda? NORMAL PEOPLE?!" We both jumped when he raised his voice. I was terrified. "Because _normal people _dump other people through text messages now? I must've been too high on pain medicine to realise that's the way it is now, haven't I? You seriously are going to serve me that crap after a year of having dumped my best friend without having the guts to tell him in person? Seriously, if you don't want to be punched in the face you better scram right. Fucking. Now." She gave him the wrong look but did as he said, casting me a glance on the way. I just smiled widely, feeling like I'd finally gotten my revenge... kind of. Once she was out of our faces Vaati smiled too. "I wasn't actually going to hit her," he said. I shrugged. "I wouldn't have minded…" He shook his head. "Sorry I was a little rough… I didn't feel like she had the right to waste our meal." I chuckled at his unexpected sincerity. Maybe I wasn't going to lose anything.

I just had to know how to keep the right things.


	5. Chapter 5

Vaati's dad looked exhausted. It shocked me since he was always so composed and neat, in contrast to his dishevelled appearance on that day. He nervously ran his hand through his messy salt and pepper hair while I sat Vaati next to him and loaded the wheelchair in the car's trunk, getting me a bit nervous too. I didn't ask him what was wrong though, and just silently sat on the backseat. I didn't feel like assisting to the lectures, my mind full of worry about Vaati. When I had woken up that Wednesday morning he was already awake, and I was starting to worry he might have lost his sleep. Was he in pain? Was it what was keeping him up? The dark circles under his eyes made my heart skip a beat each time I looked at him, and his progressively paler and paler complexion scared me. He was diaphanous.  
I contained a sigh and looked at the people and buildings zooming by the window. We got to the university sooner than I would have wanted to, and I said goodbye to the both of them, though for some reason Vaati was completely avoiding my eyes. And I knew I would mull over that all day long.

As usual I sat besides Midna in the amphitheatre, and she was quick to ask me if I was all right and if I had slept in the past hundred years. We talked a bit while everybody settled in their seats and she kind of cheered me up a little, or at the very least she distracted me and saved me from my wrecked train of thoughts. She told me she'd gotten a puppy, and named it Zant. I thought it was a weird evil-sounding name for a puppy, but that was just classic Midna. She was so quirky she could never bore me. I was so grateful to have her by my side.

After the lectures we went to have a cup of coffee together, talked about small things and laughed a little. When I waved goodbye to her and made my way home, I felt refreshed. It was a much-needed break she had given me, and I felt a little stronger to face the trials to come.  
I dropped my bag on the floor once I entered my apartment, stood there for a minute unsure of what to do, and finally decided to pick up my notes and read through them in my room. I dropped heavily on my still ruffled up bed, casting a quick glance at my clock. 18:46. Weird that I hadn't gotten any calls from Vaati… I shook my head. He was surely enjoying some father and son time, it was only natural for him not to be clinging to his phone.  
Oh boy was I wrong.

When I changed my position after laying on my back for too long, I rolled on the side and felt something hard against my ribs, from in between the bed sheets. It was annoying, so I reached in to see what it was and was shocked to discover Vaati had forgotten his phone in my bed. I frowned. Well, I didn't really have to worry, because Vaati's dad had my number anyway but… Vaati never kept his phone close to him. He was a little paranoid with the radiations and whatnot, and if not for him he would've kept it away from me. He must have been doing something while he couldn't sleep… I bit my lip. My curiosity was getting to me. I hesitated for a long time, before finally deciding that I had to know. I unlocked the device, and was immediately faced with a drafted message. My heart sunk when I saw who it was addressed to. 

_To: Link_

_I shouldn't do this.  
I know it's wrong. But it's so hard not to tell you, man. You know I'm not really one to shut up for long. I wonder if I'll have a use for this message… If I opened my pie hole to tell you I'm certain to end up in Hell, if such a place exists. Probably Zelda's house.  
_

I snickered. It was so like him. I was getting really curious about what he wanted to tell me though, and my heart was thumping heavily in my chest in fear that it would be something bad.

_You know, the sickness isn't getting any weaker. At night, when I manage to fall asleep, I wake up because I forget to breathe, and when it's not that it's the searing pain that does the job. When that happens, I have a long blackout, during which I have no idea where I am, who I am, and when I look by my side and see you sleep _I have no idea who you are. _I am so scared, it hurts. I am so dehydrated I can't even cry. I don't want to live if I forget who all the people I know are. I don't want to forget you. I love you. I hav_

And just like that the message ended.

I was at a loss for words, for thoughts, for everything. I had lost myself in Vaati's words, my best friend in both misery and glory. I felt empty, ashamed and on the verge of tears for not realising. It made so much sense I wasn't even surprised. Like I had known all along. The phone in my shaky hands slipped and fell back on the bed as all my emotions crashed on me all at once. Vaati _loved _me, God knows for how long. He had hidden his feelings for my sake, probably living in fear of being rejected or of the end of our friendship. Even when nearing his end, he had selflessly kept silent about it. If I hadn't been so nosy, I would have never known.

I was a terrible excuse for a friend. No, for a person.  
I didn't deserve him.

I was snatched away from my thoughts as my phone rang loudly in my pocket. I did my best to pick up with my horribly shaking hands. "Yes," is all I managed out. Vaati's dad answered. "Link. I think you would like to come to the hospital. Now…" The broken tone in his voice left me speechless for a minute, before I snapped out of it, adrenaline giving my body a strong shock. I sprung up; feeling like my body was weightless. I didn't even put a jacket on. I just shot straight out of my apartment, leaving the lights on, the door wide open and both my and Vaati's phones on the bed. I nearly stumbled all the way down the stairs without catching a breath, and ran through the same streets I'd been pushing Vaat's chair like crazy a few days ago. I felt my throat get irritated from the ice-cold air, my breath each time louder and painful. My legs felt numb as I raced past the people in the streets, sometimes bumping into them. I was more awkward than ever, doing a terrible job at coordinating my movements. When I finally got to the hospital's reception, I didn't even have to ask for the room, the nurse directly gave me the information. I couldn't have talked anyway, I was breathing raggedly and unevenly. I resumed my running until I got to Vaati's room. The door was cracked open, and a nurse was talking to Vaati's dad, so I waited nervously for them to get out and see me, catching my breath. After what felt like an eternity, they both came out, Vaati's dad looking even more dishevelled than this morning, pale and droopy-eyes. I couldn't handle the pressure at this level anymore, I felt like I was going to break down if they didn't let me in that room _now. _The nurse eyed me. "Are you the young man's friend?" I nodded dismissively, looking at the door insistently. She hummed. "Your friend is in a terrible shape. He is aware of his surroundings, but may not recognize you. He could go anytime now, be it hours or minutes." I gulped, on the verge of collapsing. Let. Me. Go.

They finally got out of the way and I hurriedly entered the room. The eerie scenery gave me the chills, from the cold lights to the bone chilling beeping from the machine linked to Vaati's bony fingers. I unknowingly let out a shaky breath, stepping closer to the bed. Had he looked that fragile while he had been by my side? I hadn't noticed. His cheeks were hollow and his eyes glazed over, blinking occasionally, gazing in the distance as if he was unaware of his surroundings.

That just finished to break me, and I dropped down on my knees, wrapping my arms around my head on the bed. I don't know for how long I remained like that, in a come-and-go between sobbing and lamenting. Various nurses came by to check on him, while his father talked to the doctors and nurses. He sounded like a madman, not accepting his son's departure.

I didn't notice what time it was until I raised my head to see the star specked sky through puffy eyes. I then turned to Vaati again, whose gaze shifted for the first time since I had gotten here. My heart skipped a beat. The hospital had gone completely silent, as if we were the only two people in the world. He smiled faintly, reduced to the ghost of himself. I tried to smile back, but my lips trembled and a sob escaped me. He managed to move his hand to touch mine lightly. "Don't cry." It was a mere raspy whisper, but he had talked to me. He still knew who I was. I got on my feet again, feeling broken and feeble, and carefully leaned over him, feeling like my heart was in my throat. "I'm so sorry…" I said, the sound of my own voice surprising me. "I-I saw your message…" He was looking up at me, his eyes focused again. He didn't say anything, so I just acted.  
I leaned down and kissed his parched lips, lightly, softly. It didn't last more than a few seconds, because if I stayed close for too long I'd cry on him. When I drew back, I could see he would have been crying if he wasn't dehydrated, and that just made me kneel again, putting my eyes on the same level as his. "You didn't get mad…" He closed his eyes his lips stretched into a pained smile, his brows slightly furrowed. "I am so, so sorry…" I gripped his hand strongly. "Sorry for what? You have nothing to be sorry for, you should have told me, you should have said something…" my voice became a mere whisper too as my eyes dropped to our hands. I had to be strong. I had to be… "I didn't feel like I had the right to. And if you knew how I regret it… I love you, Link." I buried my face between my arms, not wanting him to see my tears. He raised the hand I wasn't holding to gently rest it on my head.

The machine emitted that sound; that dreaded non-stopping beep ripping my soul and heart.

I held onto Vaati's cold hand, shaking, crying, and pleading for him to get back to me, paying no mind to the nurses rushing around me and trying to pry me away from my best friend.

He'd been, and will always be gold to me, permanently lodged in the depths of my heart.


End file.
